– Primo turns 34 years old today while Otis Dozovic turns 25 and Oney Lorcan turns 31.
– Tonight’s NXT will see a new #1 contender crowned as Bobby Roode, Tye Dillinger, Andrade Almas and Roderick Strong compete in a Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match. Other matches taped for tonight include Billie Kay vs Daria, The Authors of Pain vs. two local wrestlers and The Revival vs. NXT Tag Team Champions DIY with the titles on the line.
– As seen on SmackDown last night, The Miz retained the WWE Intercontinental Championship over Apollo Crews after an assist from Maryse. In the backstage video below, Crews receives a “Miz Participation Award” and tells Dasha Fuentes that this is just motivating him to get back at The Miz.
– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features part-time celebrity WWE Diva Maria Menounos, is now available online. You can check out the show at PodcastOne.com.
– According to media reports coming out of Puerto Rico, Carlos Colon, who was recently announced as the latest inductee into the 2014 class of the WWE Hall Of Fame, will be inducted by his sons Carlito and Primo (Diego), as well as his nephew Epico (Fernando).
-The new WWE tag-team Los Matadores, formerly known to WWE fans as Primo and Epico, made their official WWE television debut on Monday’s edition of RAW from Biloxi, Mississippi. Their new individual names are Fernando and Diego. Additionally, they debuted alongside a new bull mascot named El Torito. Torito is a little person who has worked as a pro wrestler in the past in Mexico under the ring name Mascarita Dorada.
-The Friday, September 27th edition of WWE SmackDown scored a final cable rating of 1.89, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 1.89 final draw marks a decrease from the previous week’s 1.93 cable rating. This week’s show drew 2.631 million viewers, which was actually an increase from the previous week’s 2.602 million viewers.
-The new WWE Tag-Team Los Matadores, previously known as Primo & Epico, continue to hype their upcoming WWE RAW television debut this coming Monday night. Los Matadores recently tweeted the following:
“Three nights from tonight Los Matadores will fight, under the bright lights of Monday Night Raw !!! #WWEole #SmackDown”
WWE has added a new “Top 10” video to their official YouTube channel, this time counting down Randy Orton’s most vicious moments. They called this top ten, “Viper’s Vicious Moments” and you can check it out below:
-You can officially pencil in WWE United States Champion Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler as one of the main events for this week’s WWE SmackDown, which will be taped live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Tuesday night, September 24, 2013.
-The repackaged WWE tag-team of Primo and Epico, now known as Los Matadores, will officially make their WWE television debut on RAW next week.
-The new Triple H DVD documentary, “Triple H: Thy Kingdom Come” will be officially released on Tuesday.
-WWE Tag-Team Superstars Primo and Epico are apparently going to be repackaged and brought back to television sometime in the near future as a matador-style tag-team.
-While this shouldn’t be taken the wrong way, the talk of the town at the Staples Center in Los Angeles all day today is that fans are expecting Hulk Hogan to appear at the SummerSlam pay-per-view tonight. More likely than not, the talk stems from the fact that his daughter Brooke Hogan was released by TNA Impact Wrestling. Do not expect “The Hulkster” at SummerSlam tonight.
– This Friday on SmackDown on Syfy, Sheamus will join forces with Randy Orton to battle Mark Henry and Big Show.
– The following two matches were taped Monday night at the Bi Lo Center in Greenville, South Carolina, for this week’s episode of WWE Superstars:
* Natalya vs. Tamina Snuka
* Brodus Clay and Tensai vs. Epico and Primo
– In Tuesday’s birthdays, WWE Hall of Famer George “The Animal” Steele turns 75-years-old, Paul London turns 33-years-old, and All Japan wrestler turns 31.
– Former WWE Champion Dave “Batista” Bautista was at the Saddle Rack in San Jose, California, over the weekend participating in a benefit with fellow The Man with the Iron Fists star Cung Le.
– The official WWE website has posted an article listing ten wrestlers who were “ahead of their time.” This list includes Dynamite Kid, Gorgeous George, Brian Pillman, Nick Bockwinkel, Bad News Brown, Goldust, Sabu, “Superstar” Billy Graham, Raven and Antonino Rocca.
WWE compares Pillman to CM Punk, stating, “Before CM Punk broke the fourth wall with his unforgettable “pipe bomb” tirade in June 2011, Pillman regularly cast his wild eyes right at the camera’s lens and unleashed bold messages that captured the unbridled emotion of The Attitude Era. Despite Pillman’s relatively short career, his body of work — including rivalries that took deeply personal turns — continues to influence a new generation of performers.”
– Highlights from this week’s episode of WWE Superstars are now online, which features Natalya going one-on-one with Aksana.
Also featured is Kofi Kingston squaring off against Primo.
– The official WWE website has announced that Triple H will appear at this Monday’s Raw in Buffalo, New York.
“The Game” returned on Monday’s show to brawl with Brock Lesnar, who was about to attack Vince McMahon again after defending Paul Heyman from McMahon’s retaliations. WWE teases, “The Game’s plans are known only to him, but it’s only a few days until he lets the WWE Universe — and Lesnar — in on his next move. Be sure to tune in to Raw Monday at 8/7 CT on USA Network to see what happens!”
– Highlights from this week’s episode of WWE Superstars are now available online, with Brodus Clay and Tensai facing Primo and Epico, and Kofi Kingston facing David Otunga (match available here).
– Ryback is today’s featured Superstar on WWE.com.
The Great Khali returned to action Tuesday night in Memphis, Tennessee, in a match taped for WWE Saturday Morning Slam. He faced Primo.
The former World Heavyweight Champion had been sidelined since undergoing surgery on July 26 to remove a tumor from his pituitary gland on July 26.
Also taped for the program was a match pitting Jey and Jimmy Uso against The Prime Time Players.
Two matches were taped for tomorrow night’s episode of WWE Main Event on ION Television. Zack Ryder took on Dolph Ziggler, and as previously announced, The Miz defended the Intercontinental Championship against Kofi Kingston.
In a dark match result, Johnny Curtis squashed Drew Haskins, a local wrestler.
– Per a huge announcement by SmackDown General Manager Booker T, Kane and Daniel Bryan will defend the WWE Tag Team Championship on Oct. 28 at Hell in a Cell against the winners of an eight-team tournament.
The bracket revealed on SmackDown showed the following first-round match-ups: Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow) vs. Jimmy and Jey Uso; Santino Marella and Zack Ryder vs. Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd; Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs. The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O’Neil); and Epico and Primo vs. Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara.
– This week on “Backstage Fallout” for SmackDown, The Miz addressed the chaos on “Miz TV,” which resulted in the show’s host being punched in the face by World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus. Wade Barrett also boasted about his dominance after defeating Zack Ryder. Plus, Big Show talks about becoming the No. 1 contender to World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus at Hell in a Cell. (Watch)
– DreadCentral.com has published photos of WWE Studios’ upcoming flick, No One Lives, starring WWE Superstar Brodus Clay.
The synopsis of the film, which premieres next month at the Toronto International Film Festival, reads: “A ruthless criminal gang takes a young couple hostage and goes to ground in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. When the captive girl is killed, the tables are unexpectedly turned. The gang finds itself outsmarted by an urbane and seasoned killer determined to ensure that no one lives.
“No One Lives, written by David Cohen and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, is a smart and original horror movie with at its heart a killer in the grip of a dark and twisted love affair.”
– Matches taped Monday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for this week’s episode of WWE Superstars are as follows:
* Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. Epico and Primo
* Alex Riley vs. Jinder Mahal
No pre-taping dark match was held.
– Former WWE Superstar Chris Masters is advertised to appear at Traditional Championship Wrestling’s Saturday, Sept. 15 television taping in Memphis, Tennessee at Cook Convention Center under the name Chris Adonis.
– Charlie Sheen, who had been speculated to appear at SummerSlam Sunday, attended a family party that. While at the get-together, Sheen was asked about working the pay-per-view event and joked that it would cost WWE a ton of money to get him. Multiple WWE sources report that company officials are interested in collaborating with Sheen at a future pay-per-view event, possibly WrestleMania XXIX.
– Santino Marella is expected to receive a WWE United States Championship rematch against Antonio Cesaro at Night of Champions. Other matches expected for the event include CM Punk vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship, Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship, Kaitlyn vs. Layla for the WWE Divas Championship and a Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship with Kofi Kingston and R-Truth, Jey and Jimmy Uso, Epico and Primo, and The Prime Time Players.
– After Linda McMahon’s U.S. Senate opponent Chris Murphy purchased advertising time on the USA Network scrutinizing the former WWE CEO during Monday’s Raw airing in Connecticut, the sports-entertainment organization released the following statement to CourantBlogs.com: “It is apparent that the same people who have consistently denigrated and mischaracterized WWE and our family-friendly entertainment for political gain have officially changed their point of view about our content. For the second week in a row, Mr. Murphy’s campaign continues to run advertising in our programming with his new ad airing yesterday at 10:30 p.m. on USA during Monday Night Raw. While the past political rhetoric has been unjust, it pleases us to know that Mr. Murphy recognizes that WWE’s TV programming is a highly effective way to reach families and voters in Connecticut.”
– In his first Tout as SmackDown General Manager, Booker T announced Tuesday night that a match to determine number one contendership to the WWE Tag Team Championship held by Kofi Kingston and R-Truth will be held this Friday on SmackDown as Primo and Epico take on Darren Young and Titus O’Neil.
– French wrestler Tom La Ruffa announced on Facebook that he has signed a developmental contract with WWE.
Nicknamed “The French Stallion,” La Ruffa is a top wrestler in Europe. He is a product of former WWE wrestler Lance Storm’s Storm Wrestling Academy and was featured on the premiere season of the World of Hurt reality television series in Canada. La Ruffa has competed in a WWE ring before as he was an opponent of Big Show’s in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match last November.
– Former WWE Champion Batista is today’s featured Superstar on WWE.com.
– Justin Roberts was conspicuously absent from Monday’s Raw SuperShow as Lilian Garcia instead handled ring announcing duties. It was a one-off appearance.
Garcia stated on Twitter, “Justin was on vacation. He will be back next week. :)”
It was Garcia’s first appearance on the program since 2010.
– Matches taped Tuesday night in Evansville, Indiana for this week’s episode of WWE Superstars were:
* Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. Camacho and Hunico
* Sin Cara vs. Antonio Cesaro (with Aksana)
* Kane vs. Heath Slater
* Epico and Primo (with Rosa Mendes) vs. Darren Young and Titus O’Neil (with A.W.)
Brodus Clay beat Drew McIntyre in approximately two minutes in a pre-show dark match. McIntyre worked Clay’s injured knee, but Clay prevailed and won with the running splash.
– CM Punk is reportedly scheduled to wrestle Big Show at SummerSlam.
The two previously faced off at the pay-per-view event in 2010, with Big Show defeating Punk, Joseph Mercury and Luke Gallows in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match.
This year’s show takes place August 19 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.
– WWE’s stock price hit an 8-year low on Friday – going as low as $7.58 per share. The previous low point was $7.43 per share on April 10, 2003.The stock was down 3.1% for the day since Thursday’s closing price.
– Two weeks after being involved in a multi-car accident in Las Vegas, Nevada, Rosa Mendes returns to managing Epico and Primo at tonight’s Raw live event in Alexandria, Louisiana. She tweeted on Friday:
“Packing for 13 days on the road. Can’t wait to see my Mendesluverz and for them to see me. AW took me shopping! I love $$$,” she wrote Thursday on Twitter. “But I love looking beautiful a lot more. Wait till you see me on Monday:).” She added Friday, “On my way to Alexandria!!! So ready to shake my thang lol;).”
Mendes suffered serious whiplash from the accident but no other major injuries were reported.
— WWE is expected to hold a Tag Team Championship Match at Over the Limit where Kofi Kingston and R-Truth defend the straps against either Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger or a multiple tag team match including Epico and Primo and possibly Darren Young and Titus O’Neil.
— In attendance news the May 4 Raw live event in Huntsville, Alabama drew 4,000 paying $150,000; May 5 Raw in Knoxville, Tennessee drew 6,000 paying $200,000; SmackDown on May 5 in Asheville, North Carolina drew 2,000 paying $65,000; Raw on May 6 in Chattanooga, Tennessee drew 4,800 paying $115,000; May 6 SmackDown in North Charleston, South Carolina drew 3,500 paying $120,000.
— Alberto Del Rio will arrive in Tokyo, Japan late Wednesday night to embark on a promotional tour. He appears on Television Kanagawa on Friday at noon. He is scheduled for an autograph session on Saturday. He will then attend that day’s Hanshin Tigers vs. Yokohama Bay Stars baseball game at Yokohama Stadium as he is scheduled to shoot T-shirts into the crowd. He’ll also be at Tower Records in Shibuya at 6:00 p.m. (thanks to Jose Gonzalez)
— WWE.com announced Thursday that “superagent” A.W. has signed Primo, Epico and Rosa Mendes to his ”All World” talent agency, officially making the former WWE Tag Team Champions his clients.
A.W. had been courting the trio for several weeks leading up to Monday’s Raw SuperShow as he insisted that the team deserved better placement and promotion at events.
“We’re going all the way!” said A.W. at the official signing, who promising to take them to “The Promised Land.” Mendes added, “We expect nothing but the best from this new relationship,” to which A.W. replied, “You’re going to get the best and beyond.”
— In honor of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s fortieth birthday on Wednesday, TooFab.com has posted high school photos of “The Great One” and other grappling greats including The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan and John Cena.
— WWE will hold a Raw live event at East Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville, Kentucky on Sunday, July 29. Tickets go on sale June 2 via Ticketmaster.
— Christian is being advertised to face Big Show for the Intercontinental Championship at SmackDown house shows in June.
Also advertised for the events is Sheamus defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Daniel Bryan in “Last Man Standing” bouts.
— Rosa Mendes, manager of WWE Tag Team Champions Epico and Primo, continues to voice her displeasure with the group being treated unfairly. She wrote on Twitter Tuesday afternoon in regards to not Epico and Primo not competing in a match on Monday’s Raw SuperShow, “We didn’t grace the #usa network last night!!! I love the fact that my alpha male partners are undefeated!! Champions 4 life!”
— WWE will hold a Raw live event on June 23, 2012 at the WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. WWE Superstars advertised for the event include John Cena, CM Punk, Kane, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler and Kofi Kingston.
— Episode 61 of Z! True Long Island Story features footage of Zack Ryder at WrestleMania Axxess in Miami, Florida. Also featured is Scott Stanford pitching Dunkin’ Donuts’s “Bronuts” after Eve kicked Ryder below the belt Sunday at WrestleMania XXVIII. Dolph Ziggler and Tommy Dreamer also appear in the episode.
— Rosa Mendes continues to voice her displeasure with herself, Primo and Epico being left off Sunday’s WrestleMania XXVIII pay-per-view broadcast as well as this week’s episode of SmackDown.
She wrote on Twitter, “It’s amazing how “I called my Momma” and she asked me why Brodus Clay and his Mommas were on Wrestlemania when people would rather watch Primo and Epico wrestle and me dancing my salsa instead!!!”
Mendes added, “Epico, Primo with Rosa Mendes not on SmackDown! Funny how nobody is manning up against us! I can’t get angry! It’s pathetic!”
Wrestling Observer reports her Twitter rant is part of WWE’s initiative to integrate storylines on the microblogging website.
WWE Tag Team Champion Epico posted a series of messages on his Twitter account Tuesday afternoon complaining about his group being left off the WrestleMania XXVIII pay-per-view event and subsequent television events.
“Can you believe this @LaRosaMendes? Every single WWE title was on The Wrestlemania PPV. But the WWE tag champs get the Pre-show. I thought this was WRESTLEmania…. Not CONCERTmania… Who did Flo-rida and that MGK beat??? I guess they beat the tag champs. Not only the tag champs get left out of wrestlemania… We weren’t even on Raw and it looks like we won’t be on smackdown either,” he wrote.
He then slammed the pay-per-view’s celebrity presence after being deemed irrelevant by a Twitter user. He wrote, “And since when is Flo-rida, MGK and that menounos chick relevant to a wrestlemania????”
Rosa Mendes, Epico and Primo’s on-screen manager, is also voicing her displeasure with the group’s last of television presence this week.
“I’m really confused to say the least, I’m one of the hottest Divas on the roster, @WWEEpico and Primo are super athletes and we only get the dark match at #WrestleMania, no match on #Raw let’s see if we even have a match on #Smackdown. Are people that intimidated by us?” she wrote on Twitter.
Justin Gabriel stated Monday afternoon Twitter that he suffered an elbow injury during the Triple Threat Tag Team Championship Match at WrestleMania XXVIII and therefore will be sidelined for six weeks.
“Just had X-rays and MRI on elbow,” Gabriel wrote. “Good news: no surgery needed. Bad news: out for six weeks.”
The WWE Tag Team Champions stood tall against their challengers was Primo and Epico defeated The Usos and the pairing of Tyson Kidd and Gabriel.
WWE announced Friday evening that the WWE Tag Team Championship will be on the line when champions Epico and Primo defend the straps against both The Usos and the new tandem of Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd in a WWE Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Match prior to Sunday’s WrestleMania XXVIII pay-per-view broadcast. The match will stream live on WWE.com and YouTube at 6:30 ET/3:30 PT.
Gabriel and Kidd joined forces following a hard-fought battle on this week’s episode of WWE Superstars. Kidd approached Gabriel in the locker room about forming a partnership, stating, “We can go out there and we can tear the house down every single night; we’re two of the most under-utilized Superstars here in WWE. But that just be getting around spinning our tails. So I was thinking, how about you and I form a tag team and we go after those tag team titles?”
WWE.com has published an article previewing the match. Rosa Mendes will accompany Epico and Primo for the bout.
— WWE aired a vignette on Monday’s Raw Supershow promoting a character by the name Lord Tensai. The person in question is Matthew Bloom, who previously competed for the organization as Prince Albert, Albert and A-Train. Bloom achieved great success in Japan after parting ways with WWE in 2004, having won the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Karl Anderson on two occasions as well as the GHC Tag Team Championship in Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Through Twitter, Bloom denied online reports over the weekend that he had signed a contract to return to WWE.
— Matches taped Monday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for this week’s episode of WWE Superstars are as follows:
* Alex Riley and Mason Ryan vs. Epico and Primo (accompanied by Rosa Mendes)
* Natalya and Tamina vs. Beth Phoenix and Eve
Brodus Clay beat Michael McGillicutty in a pre-show dark match. The bout lasted approximately two minutes.